It was a collective effort for the University of Minnesota Duluth but it was junior right side hitter Sarah Kelly who propelled the Bulldogs tonight in the five-set thriller over fourth-seeded Northern State University. Kelly stuffed the stat sheet posting a match-high 23 kills, 14 digs, a match-high eight blocks and two aces as the fifth-seed Bulldogs took out the Wolves in the opening round of the NCAA Division II quarterfinal match at PE Gym. UMD (25-6) will play host and first-seed Southwest Minnesota State University, who swept eighth-seed Arkansas Tech University in the last quarterfinal matchup.

Kelly piled up 20-plus kills for the fourth time this season. In addition, her eight blocks was a career high. She set the tone early in the match posting eight kills alone in the opening set.

It was an emotional rollercoaster which the Bulldogs have been recently accustomed to. UMD fought in its fourth straight five-set match, which is a program record. The Bulldogs, in similar fashion to its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference quarterfinal match versus Winona State University, rallied back from an early deficit in the decisive set. With the match, and the season, hanging in the balance, sophomore setter Emily Torve set Kelly for the go-ahead kill at 13-12 and secured the victory 15-12 on a block by Kelly and senior Allison Olley.

UMD hit .261 while constricting the Wolves to .107 during the final frame. The Bulldogs, who are 23-19 in the NCAA Tournament, are 4-2 in five-set matches, the most five-set victories since 2009, and moved on to the central region semifinals for the first time since 2014.

"It was a heck of a match," said head coach Jim Boos. "We are certainly excited to have found a way to come back there in the fifth set. Four matches now in a row that we have gone to five and these players have found a way to win three of those. It's been exciting to watch them grow and mature and I'm pleased that they found a way to finish tonight."

UMD had four players hit double figures in kills for the seventh time this season. It is 6-1 now when they recorded four attackers with double-digit kills. Freshman outside hitter Kate Berg, Olley and sophomore middle blocker Abby Thor all collected 11 kills. Berg reached double figures for the eighth consecutive match, the most by any Bulldogs this season. The Bulldogs was solid defensively despite being outhit .242-.239. They posted more digs (84-69) and blocks (10.0-9.0).

The beginning of the match was sloppy as each team took a while to shake out the nerves and get settled in. UMD shot out to a 5-0 run to start the match but the Northern State block caused problems early. Midway through the first both teams got into a rhythm and started to rise their attack percentages. The Bulldogs pull away late to take the set 25-21 as both teams hitting above .300 for the set.
 
UMD jumped out to big advantage in the second taking a 10-4 lead. That was capped off by a long rally which Thor finished it off with a block then recorded a kill the following point getting the Wolves to waste a time out. The Bulldogs would extend its lead back to a match-high six points later and junior outside hitter Makenzie Morgen finished the set. Morgen, who has a knack for stringing together runs to close sets or put sets out of reach, served for the final two points in the set. Torve took the blunt of an attack off the body. Kelly was able to camp under the ball and rocket a kill for set point. Morgen forced an easy bump over the net for Kelly to missile home for the set-ending kill.
 
Northern State picked up their game as it leaned against the ropes. UMD trailed for the first time all match after the first point in the third. The Wolves allowed a run after leading 9-6 and found themselves tied at 11 after UMD won another long point with Olley netting the kill after an all-out scrambled drill. Each side traded points until Northern State held a 21-19 advantage after eight lead changes. UMD closed the door and briefly gained the lead but the Wolves took the next four points to force the fourth.
 
The fourth set was as closely contested as it could get just like the third. No team lead by more than two as the lead exchange sides four times until Northern State quietly put together a 22-17 lead. The Bulldogs strung together three kills in rapid succession got was tripped up as NSIC Freshman of the Year Laura Snyder compiled the final two kills to send it to the fifth.

A rocky start to the fifth pitted UMD in a 4-1 hole. It dug itself and tied it at six-all on a kill down the line by Berg. Thor sandwiched kills between Snyder's putdown to inch the Bulldogs ahead 8-7 as they swapped sides. Northern State grabbed the lead 10-9 and had the look of completing the comeback. However, Boos and the Bulldogs had a different idea.

Boos inserted sophomore outside hitter Hanna Meyer into the match and instantly got kills from Torve and Meyer herself. Tied at 12, UMD went to their superstar and sent itself into the next round on a double block by Olley and Kelly.